USC opened its season at the Coliseum looking every bit like a top-15 team, jumping out to a 35-3 lead behind quarterback Jayden Maiava, who went 25-for-29 for 286 yards, 2 touchdown passes and a rushing score. Then San Jose State's backup-defense fourth quarter turned a laugher into an actual football game.
What a way for SJSU and USC to hit Over 61.5
New Spartans quarterback Luke Weaver was the one doing the answering, leading 3 straight late touchdown drives against USC's reserves to drag the final margin down to 42-26. It wasn't enough to threaten the result, but it was more than enough to threaten the under.
That's where Barstool Gambling comes in. The combined-score number for this one sat at 61.5, and once San Jose State kept trading scores with USC into the fourth quarter, that total was toast. Two teams combining for 68 points will do that.
Way to fight San Jose State! That’s the over!!!
Big Cat's reaction pretty much sums up the vibe for anyone holding a ticket on the over: San Jose State's comeback bid was bad news for the Spartans on the scoreboard, but it was exactly the kind of garbage-time scoring that pads a total. Nobody betting the over needed USC to actually be threatened — they just needed both offenses to keep finding the end zone, and both did.
For USC, the bigger story is that Lincoln Riley's team cruised for 3 quarters despite missing several expected starters, including defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart and receivers Tanook Hines and Terrell Anderson, all out with apparent injuries. Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt both scored touchdowns in their Trojan debuts, a sign the offense has more juice than just Maiava.
San Jose State won't take much from a loss, but Weaver's late surge is worth remembering once the record books show a 42-26 final that flatters USC more than the fourth quarter did. For Barstool's gambling crowd, though, the box score barely matters — the total is already cashed, and that's the only stat line some people were watching.